Enchantment by Nikki Jefford Page B

simpering
school girl you were hoping for?”
    “You were never a simpering school girl,
Gray. I still remember the day you walked into my shop. You have an
interesting way of expressing your love is all.”
    “Yeah, well sometimes we hurt the ones we
love. Serves you right, by the way. If I have to suffer through
this damned spell, more like a curse, then you should too.”
    Adrian cracked a smile. “Loving me is
torture, is it?”
    “You can’t even begin to imagine.”
    He stepped toward her and lifted her chin
gently with his fingers. The gesture sent shivers down Gray’s
spine. “There are perks, at least.”
    “Such as?” Gray caught Adrian’s smile just
before the lights went out. With a snap of his fingers every candle
in the apartment blazed to life. Music emerged from the speakers,
pulsing out a Latin beat.
    “Dance with me.” It wasn’t a question.
    Gray reached up and wrapped her arms around
his neck. Her heart thumped to life inside her chest. A man sang
flirtatiously from the speakers. Adrian pulled her against him. His
fingers slid around her waist and gripped her firmly. Gray was
aware of every finger he pressed against her, imprinting her skin
with his touch. They moved side to side slowly in the center of the
room.
    Their eyes locked. Adrian watched Gray in an
amused, mistrustful sort of way. His hand slid down her thigh as
though testing her.
    If he thought she’d stomp on his foot, he was
mistaken. Gray took far too much pleasure in his touch. Maybe she’d
feel differently when the spell ended, but right now his hands
belonged on her body.
    Gray laid her head against Adrian’s shoulder
and sighed.
    Adrian stilled.
    Gray pulled away and studied his face.
“What?”
    Adrian shook his head. “Nothing.”
    Gray laughed. “You look as though you think
you’re dreaming.”
    “Can you blame me?” Adrian lifted a brow.
“This isn’t real.”
    A smile spread across Gray’s face. “Nor is it
a dream.”
    “It’s a spell,” Adrian said, as though she
needed reminding.
    Gray shook her head. “A love spell, yes, but
nothing more. I can still tell the truth.”
    “And what is the truth?”
    Gray placed a hand on his chest then looked
up slowly into his eyes. “The truth is you saved my life. I never
thanked you.”
    Adrian grunted. “Well, at least I got that
much out of this spell—a little gratitude.”
    “Oh, you got a lot more than that.” Gray
flushed the moment she finished speaking. She could feel him
studying her face even as she averted her eyes. Before Gray could
pull her hand away, Adrian pressed it firmly to his chest under his
own hand. His palm scorched her skin. Gray forced herself to meet
his stare.
    “Is it true that I was your first?” Adrian
asked.
    Gray met his stare. “Yes.”
    “Was it okay?”
    Laughter bubbled up Gray’s throat, but she
choked it back. Adrian looked so intense, so concerned, so . . .
endearing. He only relaxed when she broke into a grin even though
her words came out lame. “It was incredible.”
    Adrian ran his fingers down the side of her
face. “So you won’t be mad at me once the spell is reversed?”
    Gray leaned into him. He smelled good. “Maybe
this isn’t a spell. Maybe I had a change of heart.”
    The warmth left Gray when Adrian took a step
back and shook his head. “Don’t do this to me, Gray.” His eyes held
her in place. “Don’t do it to yourself. You’re smarter than
that.”
    Gray hugged her arms around her chest. If he
meant to infuriate her by insulting her intelligence it was
working. “I’ll do whatever I want. It’s called free will, Adrian.”
Even when he angered her she felt like touching him. Gray released
the hold he had around her torso and pushed Adrian onto the sofa.
He let her force him down. It made Gray smile. She had the power
over him, she reminded herself, not the other way around.
    The guitar playing through the speakers felt
as though it had the power to pluck at Gray’s very